Extrusion mill and feeder means therefor



Feb. 2, 1965 J. T. KEEFE EXTRUSION MILL AND FEEDER MEANS THEREFOR I5Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. JAMES 7: KEEFE H/SATTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1965 J. T. KEEFE EXTRUSION MILL AND FEEDER MEANSTHEREFOR 5 Sheets5heet 2 Original Filed Nov. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. .14 M557. K E E F E ood 0:000 SZOQOQ 2300000 82:50 m

oooqoog 00002 3:02; Q0232; 230 o H/S ATTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1965 J. T. KEEFE3,167,813

EXTRUSION MILL AND FEEDER MEANS THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 12, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JAMES 7'. KEEFE HIS ATTORNEYS States nite Theinvention relates to extrusion mills and more particularly to the typeutilized in the pelleting of moldable material. This application is acontinuation of my pending application for Extrusion Mill and FeederMeans Therefor, Serial No. 773,440, filed Nov. 12, 1958, now abandoned.

'One of the problems connected with the operation of such a mill is to,not only assure substantially equal rate of feed of the moldablematerial to each of the extrusion rollers conventionally employed insuch a mill, but also to assure maximum feed to such rollerscommensurate with the capacity of the rollers to extrude the materialfed to them, whereby to obtain both a maximum and uniform output fromthe mill. This is particularly important with respect to light weight,bulky materials, as such materials are rather diflicult to handle inconnection with the extrusion of the same, and present a real problem inthe extrusion thereof. 7

One manner of attaching this problem is to pre-compact the light weightbulky material at some point prior to its reaching the extrusion roller,whereby the material will more nearly approach the more compact type ofmaterial which the rollers have no difiiculty in extruding through thedie to produce firm pellets.

Among the objects of the present invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved extrusion mill capable of producingfirm extrusions from moldable material which is normally of light weightand bulky;

(2) To provide a novel and improved extrusion mill capable ofprecompacting material which is normally of light weight and bulky, tosubsequently efit'ect firm extrusions of such material;

(3) To provide novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill ofthe above type, which will increasethe output of such mill and improvethe efliciency thereof, particularly in the handling of lightweight,bulky material; and

- (4) To provide novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill oftheabove type, which feed means may be adjusted to the character ofmaterial fed to such mill.

Additional objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of an extrusion mill embodying thepresent invention, showing the mill with its door in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken in the plane 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front view in elevation with the door of the mill in openposition.

Referring to-thedrawings for details of the present invention, the sameis disclosed'as embodied in a mill of the type illustrated in Meakinpatent for Extrusion Mill, No. 2,240,660 of May '6, 1941, and insofar asthe present invention is concerned, such mill involves a mill housing 1having a front Wall 3 adjacent which is rotatably supported;

a cylindrical die 5 with its longitudinal axis normal to the front wallof the housing, to provide a die chamber 7.

Located within the die chamber are a pair of extrusion means such asrollers 9 for cooperating with the cylindri- 3,17,813 Patented Feb. 2,1965 brackets is a door 17 including a substantially cylindrical wall 19of a diameter exceeding that of said die and having alternativedischarge passageways 21, 23 at its lowermost point controlled by a flapgate 25, and a front wall 27 spanning an end of said substantiallycylindrical wall, this front wall having a feed opening 36 therein.

Mounted on the inner surface of the front wall of the door, andconcentric with the feed opening therein, is a ring shaped element 31having an inside conical surface 33 flaring inwardly. With the door inits closed position,

this ring is concentric with the die, and in spaced relationshipthereto.

In the space intermediate the die 5 and the ring element 31, there ismounted a feeder blade assembly involving a mounting ring 35 includingan intermediate section 37, an outwardly directed mounting flange 39 atone end of the intermediate section and an inwardly directed feederblade attaching flange 41 at the other end of the intermediate section,the internal diameter of flange 41 matching the diameter at the largeend of the conical surface 33.

'To the inner edge of this blade attaching flange 41 are welded one ormore feeder blades 43, preferably a plurality of the same uniformlyspaced about the circumference. The feeder blade assembly is affixed tothe free end of the die, for which purpose the die is grooved adjacentits front end to provide a rib 45 for use with a chain clamp 47 in whichalternate trough type links 48 straddle the flange 39 and rib 45 aboutthe die, and when tensioned, serves to clarnp'the blade assembly to theend of the die.

The blade supporting flange 41- is provided with a frontal rib 51adapted to lit a complementary groove in the facing end of the ringelement 31 when the door is swung to its that the feeder blade assembly,being affixed to the die,

will whirl with the die, while the ring with the conical surface remainsfixed. Moldable material, therefore, entering the feed opening in thedoor, will be engagedby the'whirling blades, and by reason of thehelical or spiral pattern of these blades, such material will be whirledwith considerable velocity into the die chamber, in the course of which,the upper half of the die chamber will receive a substantial portion ofthe incoming material.

The large increase in velocity thus imparted to the material as itapproaches the die chamber, effectively increases the volume of materialcapable of being handled by the mill, which therefore calls for a dooropening of adiameter somewhat in excess of openings conventionallyprovided in prior art machines employing dies of similarfsize, toaccommodate such increase, and along with type, which did not embody thepresentinvention.

cry thereof and an ex rusion means.

i That portion of the incoming material which is directt ed by thewhirling blades toward the lower half of thedie chamber is aided bygravity in its movement'toward this portion of the die chamber;Thatportion of the ma;- terial however which is thrown upwardlyby-thefwhirling 'blades, is not aided by the-force of gravity, andtoencourage a fuller measure of ,flowiof material intothe upper half ofthe die chamber, one might provide a baffle 65 at the upper-end of apost67 which is anchored striketthe bafile and be diverted thereby intothedie n chambertoward the upper extrusion pocket formed by one of therollers with the upper half of'the die. The,

' An extrusion mill comprising a mill housinghavin'g V a front wall,.a'cylindrical dierotatably supported with one end adjacent said housingfront walland with its axis substantially horizontal to provide adie'chamber, extrusion means within said cylindrical die, meansenclosing a said die and having .a feed opening therein, means providinga conical surface aflixed to and flaring inwardly from ,saiddieenclosing means, substantially concentric with the feed opening therein'and with said inwardly flaring conical surface in substantially axialalignment with said die, a feeder blade assembly including a plural-'ity of blades arranged on a circle concentric with the free endfof saiddie, witheach blade directed spirally along and in proximity to butoutof Contact with said inwardlyflaring conical surface," and means forrotating said feeder 'blade a'ssemblyirelative tosaid conical surfaceduring rotation of saidhdie to'throwv material from said conical surfaceinto said cylindrical die-betweenthe inbafile is preferably madeadjustable as to angularity so that the extent to which it mightfunction may be varied,

to realize maximum effectiveness and efficiency for different'materials.

The increase in capacity'of'lthe machine'rmade possible by the whirlingblades, makesthe machine very effective weight and bulky, for theincreased rate of feedof such material causes the-same to pack itselfinto the -die chamberand bring about a precompaction before eX-*trusion, thereby solving a real problem in connection with the'extrusionof light weight and bulky materials, 7

From the foregoing description-of the present inven-- tion initspreferred-form, itwill beapparent that'the same is subject to alterationand modification without departing from the underlying principlesinvolved, and I 2 V in'the handling of moldable material'which'is lightin accordinglydo not desire to be limited in my protection to thespecific details illustrated and described except as may be necessitatedby the appended claims.

' I claim: 1

l."An extrusion mill having a cylindrical die rotatably supportedwith'its axis substantially horizontal to provide a die chamber,extrusion means within said "cylindrical die, means enclosing said dieand having a feed opening therein,,means providing a conical surfaceaflixed 5' to and flaringinwardly from said die enclosing means,

substantially concentric withthe' feed opening therein,

and with said inwardly flaring conical surface in substanv tially axialalignmentwith said'die, a feeder blade assembly including a plurality ofblades arranged on a circle concentric with the free end of said die,with each blade ternal periphery thereof'and saidextrusionmeans; 20

4. An extrusion mill comprising a mill housing having a frontwall, acylindrical die rotatably supported with one end adjacent said housingfront wallan'd with" its axis substantially horizontal to. provide a diechamber, extru sion means within said cylindrical die,1a' door having afeed opening therein, means providing a conical-surface 'affixed to andflaring inwardly from the front wall of said 7 door substantiallyconcentric withthe feed opening therein, means securing said doortosaidtmill housing for closure thereof about said cylindricalidie andwith said inwardly flaring; conical surface in substantially axialalignment'with' said die, a feeder blade assembly includ-. ing aplurality of blades arranged on a circle concentric with 'the; free endof said die, with each blade directed spirally along andin proximity tobut out of contact with said inwardly flaring'conical surface when saiddoor is in its closed position, andmeans for rotating said feeder Vbladeassemblyrelative to saidiconical surface during rotation of saiddie to throw material fromjsaid conical surface into said cylindricaldiebetween theinternal a riphery thereof and said extrusion means. a

5. An extrusion mill comprising a mill'housing having a front wall, acylindrical die rotatably supported with lone end adjacent to saidhousing front wall and with its axis 'substantiallyhorizontal toprovidea die chamber, extrusion means withinsaid cylindrical die, a doorineluding a substantially cylindrical wall of a dia'meterex ceeding,that of said dieand having a discharge passage, a front wall spanning anvend'of said substantially cylindrical wall and having a feed openingtherein, means pro--' viding a conical surface flaring inwardly fromthe' front wall ofsaid door substantially concentric with the feeddirected spirally alongrandin proximity to but out of w trusion means.

2. An extrusion mill comprising 'a mill housing, a cylindrical dierotatably supported with one end adjacent said housing and witlLits axissubstantially horizontal to.

provide adie chambenextrusion'means within said cylin-.-

contact with said inwardly flaring conical surface, and

means forrotating said feeder' blade assembly relative to said conicalsurface during rotation ofsaid dievto throw material from said conicalsurface into saidcylindrical 1 die between the internal peripherythereofand said ex-,

drical diepmeans enclosing said die and having a feedi opening therein,means providing a conical surfaceaffixedto and flaring inwardlyafromsaid die: enclosingtmeans and'with said inwardly flaring conical surfacein'substan',- tially axial alignment with saiddie afeeder blade.assemopening thereLu,,means hingedly-securingsaid door to said millhousing for; closure thereof about said; cylindrical die and with saidinwardly flaring conical surface in substantially axial, alignment withsaid die,'a feeder blade assembly-including a plurality of; blades,arranged on a circle concentric with the freeend of said die, with each"blade directed spirally along and in' 'proximity to; said inwardlyflaring conical surface when said door isin its closed position, andmeansfor-rotatingsaidfeeder blade assembly during rotationlof said die(to throw'mat'erial from said conical surface into said cylindrical diebetween the internal peripherythereof and ;'said extrusion means, andmeans supported in the path-olf flowi of such mate- ,rial into theup'per portion of said die' rchamberfor dc fleeting additional ofsuchmaterial into the, upper region'- 1 of said die chainber.

bly intermediate said die andsaidconicalrsurfa'ce means face intosaidcylindrical die between the internal periphand including at least oneblade directed spirally-along, and in proximity, to but out ofcontactwith said inwardly flaring conical surface-and means for rotalting saidfeeder 'blad'ei assembly relative to said conical surface, during ro-ftation of said die to throw material from said conicalsuraxissubstantiallyhorizontal-toprovide a didchamber; I extrusio'ni meanswithin said cylindrical ldie, ia door infclu'ding a substantiallycylindrical .wall of a diameter exceeding that of said die and having adischarge passage at t V 1 75 its lowermost point, a front Wall spanninganend or said 1 6. An extrusion millconiprising a mill housing having afront wall, a cylindrical die rotatably, supported with one end adjacentsaidihousing frontf walljandiwith its substantially cylindrical wall andhaving a feed opening therein, means providing a conical surface flaringinwardly from the front wall of said door substantially concentric withthe feed opening therein, means hingedly securing said door to said millhousing for closure thereof about said cylindrical die and with saidinwardly flaring conical surface in substantially axial alignment withsaid die, a feeder blade assembly including a plurality of bladesarrangedon a circle concentric with the free end of said die, with eachblade directed spirally along and in proximity to said inwardly flaringconical surface when said door is in its closed position, and means forrotating said feeder blade assembly during rotation of said die to throwmaterial from said conical surface into caid cylindrical die between theinternal periphery thereof and said extrusion means, means supported inthe path of flow of such material into the upper portion of said diechamber for deflecting additional of such material into the upper regionof said die chamber, said deflecting means including a post extendingupwardly from said extrusion assembly and a deflector strip at the upperend of said post, said deflector strip being angularly adjustable toadjust the rate of feed of material to said upper region.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. AN EXTRUSION MILL HAVING A CYLINDRICAL DIE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED WITHITS AXES SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TO PROVIDE A DIE CHAMBER, EXTRUSIONMEANS WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL DIE, MEANS ENCLOSING SAID DIE AND HAVING AFEED OPENING THEREIN, MEANS PROVIDING A CONICAL SURFACE AFFIXED TO ANDFLARING INWARDLY FROM SAID DIE ENCLOSING MEANS, SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRICWITH THE FEED OPENING THEREIN, AND WITH SAID INWARDLY FLARING CONICALSURFACE IN SUBSTANTIALLY AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID DIE, A FEEDER BLADEASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF BLADES ARRANGED ON A CIRCLE CONCENTRICWITH THE FREE END OF SAID DIE, WITH EACH BLADE DIRECTED SPRIALLY ALONGAND IN PROXIMITY TO BUT OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID INWARDLY FLARINGCONICAL SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID FEEDER BLADE ASSEMBLYRELATIVE TO SAID CONICAL SURFACE DURING ROTATION OF SAID DIE TO THROWMATERIAL FROM SAID CONICAL SURFACE INOT SAID CYLINDRICAL DIE BETWEEN THEINTERNAL PERIPHERY THEREOF AND SAID EXTRUSION MEANS.